Domondon: Ultimate solution to the garage problem found!?

EVEN with the ongoing deliberations of the City Council on the proposed annual budget for CY 2010 as well as preparations for the upcoming elections this May our city councilors are ever mindful of the necessity for discovering the appropriate solution to the solid waste problem of the city.

One alderman who is bent on pursuing the matter and thus finally bringing to an end the garbage woes of the city is Councilor Nicasio S. Palaganas who, just recently is quietly but urgently pushing for the immediate ratification of an amended proposed ordinance seeking to adopt the proposal of Recycle Vision Global Technologies Inc. (RVGTI) for solid waste management of the city.

The proposed amended ordinance also provides giving authority to the city mayor, representing the city, to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the proponent as well as the appropriation of funds for the immediate implementation of the project, of course after the MOA shall have been confirmed by the City Council.

Now lest another misconception arise on the planned privatization of the management of the solid waste in the city, Councilor Palaganas as well as Councilors Galo Weygan, Erdolfo Balajadia, Fred Bagbagen, Joel Alangsab and the presiding officer himself, Vice Mayor Daniel T. Farinas as authors of the proposed measure explains the proponent, Recycle Vision Global Technologies Inc. (RVGTI), had already submitted their proposal on the management of solid waste along with six other proponents with their own proposals of similar nature in the middle of last year. And that the City Council passed Resolution 480 series of 2009 requiring the Solid Waste Management Board (SWMB) of the city to assess and evaluate the different proposals for the purpose of identifying once and for all the best and most appropriate waste disposal system for the City of Baguio.

The authors of the proposed ordinance are hopeful and also emphatic that the approval, adoption and implementation of the proposal as well as the confirmation of the MOA will end the long and protracted quest for the ultimate solution to the garbage problem.

The proposed measure also reveals that the TWG of the SWMB conducted a series of plant visits particularly those facilities located in Metro Manila and in Cavite with the results clearly showing that RGVTI as the top contender to manage the solid waste of the city.

In coming up with its results the TWG of the SWMB based its assessment, evaluation and findings on several factors namely; location for the project, technical management, capacity and capability, utility consumption, financial capability, management, environmental impact, and environmental sustainability.

It appears that RGVTI obtained the highest rating in the assessment and evaluation of the TWG achieving 85 percent while a far second was Geogreen Inc. with 69.40 percent and Andress Y. Narvasa Resource Management Group coming in third with 50.40 percent.

This will also clearly show that the subject matter of the proposed amended ordinance which is to allow RGVTI to manage the solid waste of the city has been carefully studied by the Local government.

No hasty decision with this one albeit the desire to immediately address the concern and clamor of the citizenry to once and for all put an end to the garbage dilemma of Baguio. Evidently the request for the immediate approval and implementation of the said project is being asked for before election matters come into play. It is also evident that the more delay experienced in the implementation of permanent solutions to the garbage problem of the city the more that the citizens and the ordinary people are made to suffer. Based on the evaluation made by the TWG of the SWMB it appears that RGVTI has the permanent solution to the garbage dilemma.

Also, the clamor to finally implement a proposal seen as the ultimate solution to the garbage problem in the city is a way to show to the people of Baguio that their elected leaders are not sleeping on the job and that they always have in their minds the comfort and welfare of their constituency. As well, the approval of the said proposed ordinance might just serve to silence critics who are keenly bent on using the garbage problem as a campaign issue during election time.

Coming in just in the aftermath of the failed plan to develop the athletic bowl, the approval of the said proposed ordinance might well boil down once again into a damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. But what the hell, I would rather bet my last centavo on someone who has the courage to pursue matters that would benefit the majority of the people of Baguio than on someone whose idea of defending the rights of the people is sometimes inane and implausible protestations and rhetorics that serve no other interest and purpose than his own.

By the way, the proposal of the RGVTI is for the establishment of a super Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in the city that will process and take care of almost all of our garbage. Let us wait and see if this is finally the solution everybody is looking for.

Finally, still with the budget deliberations City Councilor Perlita Chan Rondez has just finished conducting yesterday morning committee level deliberations on the department budgets of the City Environment and Parks Management Office (Cepmo) and the City Administrators Office.

To recall all members of the City Council have been assigned a particular department/s so that budget deliberations on a committee level can be regularly conducted to complement their deliberation of the annual budget during their regular session.

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